Assessment of the neuropsicomotor development of children living in the outskirts of Porto Alegre <b>[Abstract in English]</b>

Abstract

Aims: To assess the neuropsicomotor development in undernourished and malnourished children and compare it with that of children with weight and height ideal for their age, both groups living in the outskirts of Porto Alegre (RS, Brazil). Methods: The assessment of the neuropsicomotor development was carried out with Denver II Test, through which four dominions were analyzed: personalsocial, language, fine-motor adaptative and grossmotor skills. Twenty undernourished or malnourished children (1 < age < 6 years) made up the malnutrition group. Sixteen eutrophic children, matched by age, made up the control group. Results: The Denver II Test’s results showed that both groups presented suspicion of developmental delays or abnormality. The percentage of children with developmental delay was higher in the malnutrition group in three out of the four dominions assessed. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups (p <0,05). Conclusions: In spite of the lack of statistical power of the present study, the results seem to point to the fact that biologic, as well as socioeconomic and environmental conditions may determine delays in the neuropsicomotor development. These data point to the need for regular assessment of children’s development and programs of early intervention in underprivileged communities, both linked to an efficient public health program tailored for this age group. KEY WORDS: MOTOR SKILLS; CHILD NUTRITION DISORDERS; CHILD; CHILD DEVELOPMENT.